The island of San Giorgio Maggiore sits directly across from the Piazzetta, the most conspicuous spot in Venice's entire waterfront. Palladio's great white church, completed posthumously in 1610, is one of the defining elements of the Venetian skyline — its classical facade and tall campanile visible from the mouth of the Grand Canal.
The church interior is cool and classical, with two late Tintorettos (The Last Supper and The Gathering of Manna) facing each other across the chancel. The Fondazione Giorgio Cini, which occupies the rest of the island, includes a beautiful Renaissance cloister and runs regular exhibitions. The vaporetto from Piazzetta takes two minutes. Come on a weekday afternoon when the island is quiet and the view back towards the Doge's Palace is at its best.